2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Novato, CA vs Merced, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Merced older or younger than people in Novato?
- The Median Age in Merced is 18.5 years younger than in Novato.

Are housing costs cheaper in Merced or Novato?
- Merced housing costs are 64.5% less expensive than Novato housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Merced or Novato?
- The average commute for residents of Merced is 9.0 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Novato.

Things to do in Novato?
Novato, California is located in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Novato is home to nearly 56,000 people and offers a mix of rural and urban attractions. Residents enjoy outdoor activities such as Mt. Burdell Open Space Preserve and the Novato Arts Center for its art galleries, plays, and music events. Novato also boasts several shopping destinations in addition to top-notch schools, hospitals and services. With its combination of small-town charm, big-city amenities and access to pristine natural beauty, Novato provides an excellent place to call home.

Things to do in Merced?
Merced, California is a mid-sized city located in Central Valley known for its proximity to Yosemite National Park or Lake Yosemite making it an ideal spot for outdoor recreation.

 Novato, CAMerced, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,993329,725,481
 Median Income$107,975  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock29.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,052,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock9.3%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time32.59  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Novato    9 Reviews

Lush hills, hiking trails, and easy access to both wine country and San Francisco. We love it here.  More

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Over 10 years ago

Novato is a family oriented community located about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate bridge. The quality of life is excellent here assuming your job pays you enough to  More

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Over 11 years ago

We recently moved to a secluded neighborhood in Novato after 25 years in central Marin. While there are fewer restaurants and galleries, we are very pleased with our  More

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Reviews for Merced    44 Reviews

Merced is totally slept on - you want a little bit of everything CA has to offer, at a fraction of the price of other CA cities? Merced is the place to go. The town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Good place to live. More affordable than most of california. The city is growing and there is alot of business and growth here. Moved from the Bay area years ago and  More

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Great place to live. Lots of progress and changes coming to the city. Great place to raise a family. UC Merced is expanding and businesses are investing. Downtown is  More

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